EU calls on Israel to reverse settlement plans

The European Union has called on the Israeli regime to reverse its plans for building new settler units in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds (Jerusalem), Press TV reported.

"We call on the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision and to direct all their efforts towards an early resumption of the peace talks," the EU said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The EU added that it is "deeply disappointed" by Israel's plans to build over 3,000 settler units on the occupied Palestinian territories, saying, "This move is unhelpful to peace efforts."

Also on Thursday, Palestinian official, Hanan Ashrawi, said the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) will appeal to the United Nations Security Council against Israel's plans to build more settler units.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli regime ordered officials to implement plans for the construction of 1,800 settler units in the occupied Palestinian territories only hours after the Israeli Housing Ministry published tenders for the construction of some 1,500 settler units in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

Israel also claimed that the move was a response to the formation of a Palestinian unity government. The new cabinet of the Palestinian unity government was sworn in before acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Monday.

In April, Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas signed an agreement to end years of rivalry and form a unity government.

Angered by the unity pact between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah, the Tel Aviv regime suspended the so-called peace talks with the Palestinian Authority on April 24 and threatened to impose further sanctions against Palestinians.